Uruguay (Vamooo Arrriibaa) Go and find out what that means Past Review
By Samuel K (Economics and International Studies, Kansas State University) for
ISEP Exchange: Montevideo - Exchange Program at Universidad Católica del Uruguay
Absolutely. I gained more from my experiences outside of the program and with the locals. It has cemented my plans: to study developmental economics and go to graduate school.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | Universidad de la Catolica |
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I thought I had a smaller workload and the work was less demanding in the sense that less emphasis was put on master the material. It was more of a laid-back situation. I only participated in courses for students from other countries. Perhaps that is why I had this experience. This semester I will take courses with locals and will not take courses with foreigners. I hope for and look forward to a more demanding academic semester. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The on-site administration was fantastic and is a great strength of the program. The international academic program lacked rigor but all other aspects were positive. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
It was a positive experience. I learned to adapt to a different culture and learned how to accept differences. Not everything was perfect but this enhanced my experience, allowing me the opportunity to set aside my biases and adapt. I was relatively far from the university but in a safe neighborhood and close to the beach. I was treated well and by the end became quite close with the family. It did take some work though. I did not buy any items to settle in. I cannot tell you much about the aesthetics other than everything was sufficient. |
| * Food: |
There were times when I wished I received more food in the house. However, it was good to adapt to a culture that clearly consumes less than Americans. Nearly all restaurants are similar but very good. I did not eat out much but when I did I had no bad experiences. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I have been very involved with a NGO called un techo para mi pais. I have had fantastic experiences with them and have been a consistent volunteer for the last 6 months. This is a big reason for my choosing to remain here. Other countries have much to offer but only if you are willing to go into uncomfortable situations. This NGO has opened my eyes and has given me wonderful opportunities. I would strongly recommend some aspect of community service to anyone going abroad. It is a big world and there is lots to learn from all types of people. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I have been fortunate and have had no health issues other than minor sicknesses. I received all the necessary vaccines before I came. It is a safe country. The city is safe and there are relatively few vaccines you need to receive. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I am sorry I don't know. I am not a big spender. I did not eat out a lot and when I traveled I camped. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | You can have a lot of fun without spending a lot of money. There were no outrageous expenses that were unexpected. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
The program was encouraging to speak the native language (Spaninsh). However the courses were neither rigorous nor demanding and there was not a lot of grammar education. I think by far the best way to improve language skills are to avoid (respectfully) people from your own country and strive to only engage with people who are speaking the language you want to learn. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Immerse yourself in the culture. Make yourself uncomfortable. You're unlikely to remain friends with many of the people you meet forever, therefore do what you want when you want as long as your doing things you could not do in your home country. Any type could benefit, it depends more on how much that person wants to get from the program. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
They were all very similar. They covered similar topics and were similarly underwhelming. This was not the hightlight. I learned lots about UY but was not challenged very much. It is a very nice university though. |
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